1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an atomizer and more particularly to an atomizer for administering inhalant medicines.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various medicines are administered by having the patient inhale the drug such as drugs for asthmatics. Commonly, such drugs are in a liquid form where the liquid is broken up into small airborne particles by an atomizer for inhalation.
Conventional medical atomizers use fluoro-carbon gases to break up the liquid into particles. Such fluoro-carbon gas based atomizers are compact and relatively inexpensive.
However, such fluoro-carbon atomizers have several disadvantages. Control of the dosage is difficult as the actual amount of the dosage depends upon atmospheric pressure, atmospheric temperature, the pressure of the gas remaining in the reservoir and the duration of activation of the atomizer.
A far more serious problem with such atomizers is their use of fluoro-carbons. Fluoro-carbons are dangerous pollutants known to destroy the ozone layer of the atmosphere. Because of fluoro-carbons' known pollution effects, the United States government has committed to eliminate all use of fluoro-carbons within the next few years. Therefore, conventional fluoro-carbon atomizers will not be available for administering inhalants within a few years.
There are, of course, other types of atomizers such as ultra-sonic atomizers, air based atomizers, and mechanical atomizers commonly used for personal hygiene products such as deodorants. However, such atomizers have a number of drawbacks. They are typically too large for a person to readily carry them in a shirt pocket or pants pocket. Still further, mechanical atomizers lack control over the dosage of the drug while ultrasonic atomizers are typically quite expensive, costing several hundred dollars a piece.
A typical ultrasonic atomizer will also occupy almost a cubic foot of space and weigh several pounds. Therefore, they are not portable--a critical need for patients such as asthmatics who never know when they may have to administer a particular drug.
Therefore, it is a first object of this invention to have an atomizer providing precise control over the dosage administered to the patient. It is another object of the invention to provide a compact atomizer that does not use fluoro-carbons. It is yet another object of the invention to provide a compact atomizer small enough to place within a typical shirt pocket.